1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to improved flexible packaging and a method thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a flexible package having at least a semi-rigid portion for retaining the package in a substantially open position, and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Each year, many millions of people around the world visit fast food restaurants on six out of the seven continents. Typically, these fast food restaurants are patronized by people who desire to eat a quick meal while en route between their origin and their destination, or by people who desire a break from preparing a home-cooked meal. Due to their convenience and ubiquity, it is estimated people in the United States alone spend about $150 billion per year at fast food restaurants.
Although many modern fast food restaurants provide indoor seating for their patrons, it is still common practice to eat somewhere outside of the restaurant, such as in a motor vehicle, be it in the parking lot or while en route to a particular destination. As such, these patrons do not eat in the restaurant at a dining table, but rather confine their eating to the inside of a motor vehicle. Consequently, one who attempts to simultaneously drive the motor vehicle and eat faces the challenge of having only one free hand with which to eat his/her fast food. Under such circumstances, it is quite difficult to perform otherwise-simple activities, such as dipping food pieces into condiments and safely operating a motor vehicle.
Equally, at sports and entertainment events, in public places such as stadiums or movie theaters, people may purchase fast food (e.g., hot dogs and French fries) at the concession stand and then bring their food to the stadium-style or theater-style seating, which is often less than spacious and with no table or other area to place the food. Similar to eating in a motor vehicle, an individual may have to balance the food on their lap in a box or other container and attempt to juggle a beverage and hot dog, for instance, while trying to dip their French fries in a packet of ketchup.
Additionally, due to the versatility of plastic materials, many businesses and packaging manufacturers are employing flexible plastics to make these packages. Such packages have the advantage of being workable and shaped to accommodate a user's short-term needs. However, flexible packages employed in the manners described above typically have a shortfall of not remaining in the desired open position without the user having to exert a continuous force on the flexible package to shape it as desired. In the case of a flexible package holding ketchup, for instance, a user may hold open the top portion of the flexible package and remove some of the ketchup, but the moment the user removes the force from this package, it returns to its original equilibrium position, typically a closed or semi-closed position, the contents of which are then not easily accessible to the user.
There are no known efforts at solving these problems with flexible packages. Thus, there is a need for an improved flexible package for use on the go, eating in motor vehicles, eating at stadium-style or theatre-style seating, and the like, and method thereof.